Night Whispers Read online

  Dear Readers,

  Among Night Whisper’s assets is a dedication I wrote to my grandson, Nick, when he was a baby. I admit it—I cried when I wrote it. I cried again last month when I watched him leave for his first year at college. Time goes by much too quickly, doesn’t it?

  I’m partial to this dedication and also partial to Courtney Maitland. She was so funny, so genuine, and so outrageous that I had to let her appear again in Someone to Watch Over Me. Many readers thought she deserved a book of her own, but I couldn't see it. The very attributes that make her so unique would make her a rather annoying grown up, and if I smoothed her out, she would be too ordinary.

  Happy reading!

  Warmly,

  Judith McNaught

  Praise for the incomparable bestsellers of

  JUDITH McNAUGHT,

  “One of the finest writers of popular fiction.”*

  NIGHT WHISPERS

  “Never miss a McNaught! NIGHT WHISPERS heads like the Titanic toward its iceberg of a climax—with shocking revelations. . . . Judith McNaught has written her most stunning work of fiction to date. Sexy, smart, and page-turning, this is a must-read.”

  —barnesandnoble.com*

  “Fans of romantic suspense will shout that the great Judith McNaught has written something wonderful with her perfect novel, NIGHT WHISPERS. . . . A tender triumph that will leave readers awed. . . . The characters are warm and charming, and will long be remembered.”

  —BookBrowser.com

  “McNaught has truly outdone herself with NIGHT WHISPERS. It is a testimony to her impressive talent. . . . Equal parts romance and suspense, this is a must read for mystery and romance fans alike. . . . You’ll find yourself delighted with this excellent book.”

  —Rendezvous

  REMEMBER WHEN

  “[A] clever take on the ultra-affluent, ultra-cynical social scene of McNaught’s hometown of Houston. . . . McNaught has a lot of fun with a marriage of convenience that turns out to be anything but.”

  — Chicago Tribune

  “McNaught delivers another well-written, cleverly plotted tale of a successful businessman and woman who find love amid the cold practices of commerce.”

  —The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)

  “A powerfully written novel that captures the reader and leaves her wanting more. Ms. McNaught has combined an appealing heroine with a sexy hero. . . . One of the best stories I’ve read this year. Excellent!”

  —Rendezvous

  “Romantic, witty, and entertaining. . . .”

  —San Antonio Express-News

  “Excellent. . . . Judith McNaught once again works her unique magic in this newest charming and sparkling tale of romance.”

  —Romantic Times

  UNTIL YOU

  “Delicious. . . . A perfectly wonderful story, with lively, funny, well-rounded characters. Until You is a laughing, loving book, a page-turner and a delight.”

  —The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA)

  “Judith McNaught comes close to an Edith Wharton edge with Until You. . . . I was captivated. . . . McNaught has a lot of fun with a mistaken identity plot.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  WHITNEY, MY LOVE

  “The ultimate love story, one you can dream about forever.”

  —Romantic Times

  “A wonderful love story . . . fast-paced and exciting . . . great dialogue!”

  —Jude Deveraux, New York Times bestselling author of The Blessing

  PERFECT

  “Judith McNaught undoubtedly knows a thing or two about love. . . . Perfect is a steamy romantic escapade.”

  —Dallas Morning News

  “[The] chemistry sizzles. . . .”

  —San Francisco Chronicle

  PARADISE

  “Fast-paced romantic entertainment. . . .”

  —USA Today

  “Another incomparable love story Judith McNaught’s readers are sure to cherish.”

  —Dallas Times Herald

  ALMOST HEAVEN

  “Warm and vivacious characters. . . . Almost Heaven is a delightful story.”

  —Birmingham Post-Herald (AL)

  A KINGDOM OF DREAMS

  “Wonderful! . . . Judith McNaught is truly the spellbinding storyteller of our times.”

  —Affaire de Coeur

  SOMETHING WONDERFUL

  “A mesmerizing tale. . . .”

  —Publishers Weekly

  Thank you for downloading this Pocket Star Books eBook.

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  TO NICHOLAS MICHAEL SHELLEY—

  Dearest Nicky,

  As your first birthday approaches, it is time to offer you some guidance to help steer you through life. The dedication page of this novel seems a rather good place to do that, and so I give it to you here:

  Aim high—like your mom.

  Shoot straight—like your dad.

  Fight hard for what you believe in—like your uncles.

  Each time you succeed, no matter how tiny the success, stop for a moment and listen for a cheer. You’ll hear it in your heart. Do you hear it now?

  That’s me, my darling.

  No matter where I am, or where you are, I’ll be cheering for you.

  Always. Forever.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  My gratitude and affection to the two people whose kindness and support especially enriched my life during the creation of this novel . . .

  Tamara Anderson, negotiator and strategist par excellence Joe Grant, knight in legal armor

  And to the following people whose expertise and invaluable assistance enriched the novel, itself . . .

  Don K. Clark, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Houston

  H.A. (Art) Contreras, U.S. Marshal, Southern District

  Alan and Jack Helfman, my personal “magicians” with contacts in all the right places

  Michael Kellar, Criminal Intelligence Division, Houston Police Department

  John Lewis, a guardian angel

  Last, but far from least, to . . .

  Cathy Richardson, my right arm

  Judy Webb-Smith, my other right arm

  1

  He’d been following her for three days, watching. Waiting.

  By now, he knew her habits and her schedule. He knew what time she got up in the morning, whom she saw during the day, and what time she went to sleep. He knew she read in bed at night, propped up on pillows. He knew the title of the book she was reading, and that she laid it facedown on the nightstand to keep her place before she finally turned off the lamp.

  He knew her thick blond hair was natural and that the startling blue-violet color of her eyes was not the result of the contact lenses she wore. He knew she bought her makeup at the drugstore and that she spent exactly twenty-five minutes getting ready to go to work in the morning. Obviously, she was more interested in being clean and neat than in enhancing her physical assets. He, however, was very interested in her considerable physical assets. But not urgently and not for the “usual” reasons.

  At first, he’d taken great care to keep her in sight while ensuring that she didn’t notice him, but his precautions were more from habit than necessity. With a population of 150,000 people, 15,000 of them college students, the little city of Bell Harbor on Florida’s eastern seaboard was large enough that a stranger could move unnoticed among the population, but not so large that he would lose sight of his prey in a jumble of metropolitan expressways and interchanges.

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